Healthy Snacks: Mango Coconut Chia Pudding

Last Saturday I got up at normal work time and put on exercise clothes. Yes, there are people in the world that do this every weekend… and, yes, I am going to try and be one. Maggie, the brains and muscle behind wellnesswinz.com, led an hour long interval training session in the beautiful Meridian Hill Park that had everyone exerting maximum energy for up to 90 seconds, with a rest interval in between. You can do anything for a minute and a half right? As the quintessential “walking is my exercise” enthusiast, I was skeptical but found myself really enjoying the workout and feeling energized after the session. “Giving the body time to re-coop after each interval allows for maximum benefit in a high intensity workout,” noted Maggie. Not only am I convert, I feel like I could do this every week!

I brought the recovery snacks for the group, a coconut mango chia seed pudding, that was packed with a serious amount of fiber, magnesium, and protein. I left out the sugar and only used a bit of agave in the mango to get a delicious healthy snack that was enjoyed by all. The chia seed is all the rage at the moment and about the easiest thing to prepare (you can use almond milk, coconut milk, or even water) and the gel keeps for up to a week in the fridge. The only thing to get use to is the tapioca/frog spawn texture. If you put lots of goddies with it and give it a good stir, it really is delicious, I promise. For your next workout, check out the recipe below and check out Maggie’s blog: wellnesswinz.com

Coconut Mango Chia Seed Pudding

For 5 you need:

2 cup coconut milk

6 tbsp chia seeds

4 tbsp honey or agave

1 tsp vanilla extract

Flesh of 2 ripe mangos or frozen if not the season

1 pint strawberries

desiccated coconut to decorate

How to:

Mix together the coconut milk, chia seeds and vanilla extract in a bowl. Refrigerate for 15 minutes and mix again. It will take an additional hour to really set. Keep covered.

Chop strawberries for the top. If they aren’t at their ripest, add a bit of honey or agave to help it along. Cover and put in fridge.

Use a blender to get mango to more of the thick sauce-like texture. Add a bit of honey or agave to sweeten, if necessary.

Remove from the fridge 15 minutes before serving. Layer the chia pudding with the chopped mango in jars or glasses. Put strawberries and coconut, on top. Stir before eating!